Nikesh, Monalisa lose KATHMANDU: National Under-19 champion Nikesh Duwal and women’s champion Monalisa Khambu both lost their first round matches in the Asian Junior Chess Championship in Colombo on Thursday. Duwal lost against India’s 2330-rated Fide Master Vishnu Prasanna while Khambu lost to India’s Women Fide Master P Uthra. Players from 13 Asian nations including Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Iran, Tajikistan and Bangladesh are taking part in the tournament that concludes on July 7. — HNS

Teachers’ volleyball KATHMANDU: Padma Kanya Multiple Campus and the Nepal Professors’ Association are jointly organising the third Valleywide Inter-campus Professors’ Volleyball Tournament from Sunday. In all, 12 teams will compete for the championship. Top two teams from each of the three Pools will qualify for the Super Six stages. Top two teams from the Super Six league will play for the championship. — HNS

Pulchowk advance KATHMANDU: Kantipur and Pulchowk Engineering College advanced to the quarter-finals of the first Himalaya Technical Basketball Tournament. Rajiv Shrestha netted 12 as Kantipur defeated Advance College 47-27 and Pulchowk saw of Kathmandu Engineering College 49-38 riding on Nabin Maharjan’s 23 points. In other matches, Thapathali Engineering College edged past Acme 26-24 and Krishi Campus beat Rampur College 25-18. — HNS

Award in Hetauda HETAUDA: Nepal Sports Journalists Forum, Hetauda coordination committee announced the award for players and coaches here on Thursday. President Suman Bhomjan said the committee would hold the award ceremony for the players and coaches every year. “The players and coaches have not been receiving the rightful honour and we will award the players and coaches every year from now on,” said Bhomjon. Earlier, the committee took out a rally from Loktantrik Chowk to Ganatantrik Chowk to celebrate the 15th World Sports Journalists Day. Football coach Kumar Katwal said the sportspersons and journalists need to work together for the development of sports. Players, coaches and sports lovers of the district took part in the rally. — HNS

NSJF organises rally KATHMANDU: Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) organised a rally on Thursday to mark the 15th International Sports Journalists Day and the 85th anniversary of the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS). Participated in by members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Press Union, sports journalists, players and sports officials, the rally began from Bhrikuti Mandap and ended at the Dasharath Stadium. A message from AIPS president Giani Mirlo was read out during the programme. NSJF president Niranjan Rajbanshi said the annual Player of the Year (PoY) will be held on September 10 this year. FNJ president Dharmendra Jha and General Secretary Poshan KC also expressed their views. — HNS